Trouble Breathing
by Ricepaper.Butterfly
Summary: Sequel to Intoxicating. Its been 2 weeks since she talked to Sharpay now schools starting again. Gabbriella cant breathe witout her but she cant breathe when she's around her either. Maybe its time to face the truth. Gabpay
1. Morning after

Gabriella woke up the next morning in a bed that wasn't hers, wearing different clothes to the ones she'd been wearing last night, no memory of the night before and a splitting headache. She groaned and as soon as it all sunk in she flipped out. What had she done last night? And god who on earth had she slept with?? At that moment Sharpay walked back into the room, pink towel wrapped around her body which was covered in small beads of water and blonde hair wet and dripping a trail along the carpet as she walked. Gabriella's eyes widened as the blonde walked in and gave her a shy smile.

_'What do I do? How do I act? What on earth do I say in a situation like this? And especially with Sharpay of all people! She obviously remembers last night even though I dont'_ the brunette though to herself worriedly as she smiled back at Sharpay. The liquer last night had been for confidence, so she would finally have the guts to admit her feelings. How ever after a couple of drinks she forgot this and kept drinking. The last thing she remembered was dancing with the gorgeous blonde in the living room. She knew she'd probably regret that in the morning but she didn't think there would be anything else to regret, at least certainly not **this**.

"How do you feel?" Sharpay asked, snapping Gabriella back to reality. The brunette froze for a second, unsure of how to answer till the blonde laughed and sat down on the bed next to her, taking Gabriella's hand in her own.

"Last night? Do you remember?" she asked softly, causing the brunette to blush intensley, pulling her hand away. She wasn't quite sure what to say. It's not like it was something she didn't want, she just didn't want it to happen that way.

"Well... no, not exactly..." she mumbled feeling bad "I'm sure it was good though!" she quickly tried to reasure the blonde nervously. Sharpay gave her a strange look.

"Last night had it's ups and down. You wheren't really that great though..." She told Gabriella with a laugh, what did she mean she was sure it was good? Her completley smashed off her face drunk and throwing up wasn't that great. She had Sharpay worried. Gabriella looked shocked and hurt at this comment.

"Well god thanks Sharpay!" Gabriella exclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes "It was my first time and I shared it with you and you don't even care!!" she wailed at the blonde.

"Woa! Sorry Gabriella. I didn't mean to hurt you... I've just never seen you like that before. And I'm glad it was your first time, I hope you never do that again. You had me really worried. I didn't know what to do with you!" Sharpay was taken aback by the brunette's strange behavior and mood swings.

Gabriella just stared at the blonde before her, not sure what to say to that. She wasn't sure where to be hurt or not.

"What?!" was all she could muster to ask. Sharpay furrowed her eyebrows worriedly at the brunette, placing a soft hand on her forehead to check her temperature.

"I said I hope you never drink again, last night was terrible, with you throwing up and everything. I was woried about you" she repeated sliding her hand down to gentley caress the brunette's rosey cheeks "are you feeling ok? I know you drunk alot last night and must have a killer hangover. You can stay in my bed as long as you need" she assured her kindly. Now the red was quickly rising in Gabriella's cheeks.

"So last night... we didn't? I mean, what happened?" she asked nervously, hoping and fearing what the answer could be at the same time. Sharpay couldn't help but giggle as she realised what Gabriellas must have though.

"Oh, no! I would never do that to you" Sharpay laughed, but this answer only hurt her more "I took you back here so nothing would happen to you. We didn't do anything like that, just slept" she answered her, unable to hide the fact that she now was blushing too. An emabressed Gabriella now looked down sadly.

"You'd never...?" she asked quietly, but Sharpay still herd, causing a smile to creep across her lips.

"I'd never take advantage of you when you where intoxicated like that! When your not intoxicated however is another matter altogether..." Sharpay joked, though deep down there was a truth in what she said. The brunette looked back up into her deep brown eyes and smiled, pulling the blonde into a hug.

"Thank you! I knew you'd look after me Sharpay..." she whispered...

* * *

It had been two weeks since the day after the party, two weeks since she'd touched a drop of alcohol and two weeks since she'd seen or even said a word to Sharpay. Now however it was time to go back to school and it would be much harder to avoid the blonde. However, if Sharpay had really wanted to see or talk to her she would have made more effort than 2 missed calls and a voice mail message Gabriella reasoned to herself. It was only to try and make herself feel better though. Just not seeing hyde or hair of the blonde for two weeks was driving her slowly insane. Her sleeping patterns where completley off, she hadn't been out of her house in a week and had just about completley lost her appetite so much that her mother had noticed. She was threatening to take her to the doctor now. As the brunette sat bordely at her computer desk she imagined what the doctor would say. 

_"Oh god, she's got it bad!" the doctor exclaimed as he looked down at the small pale girl before him "when was the last time you left the house?" he asked her softly._

_"A week and two days ago" she answered meekly, coughing roughly. Her mother looked down at her worriedly, cringing at the croaking sound of her daughters weezing cough and putting a gentle hand on her back._

_"What is it doc?" the brunette's asked nervously, the suspence was killing her. What on earth was wrong with her beloved daughter? Was it life threatening and could it be treated? She had to know!!_

_"I think she has... Sharpayneurosis" the doctor answered with a pityful glance in Gabriella's direction "but I need to be sure. We'll have to run some tests and, could you clearly explain how you feel around her?" he asked sadly, but he feared he already knew the answer._

_"The moment our eyes lock... Just being near her, I suddenly come down with a fierce fever, I feel sick, light headed like I'm about to faint. And my legs go like jelly, I can ahrdly move. My body's melts under her chocolate eyes and soft cherry smile" she answered in a rhasping whisper. The doctor looked back at Gabriella's mother and nodded with a heavy sigh._

_"It is as I feared, she'll have to under go treatment immediatley if she is to survive this!"_

Gabriellas giggled to herself at the very dramatic scene playing out in her head, she really did have an over active imagination sometimes. As she turned to look for some clothes to wear today, in the mess that was building up upon her floor, she chanced a glance at the clock and cringed. 1:26pm and she'd only gotten up twenty minutes ago. She was hoping to just sleep through the rest off her life, or atleast the rest of high school. After that Sharpay would probably be going to a different college. But with her mother sleeping all day wasn't really an option as for some reason she refused to let Gabriella dream her life away like that and there for made her get up.

Finally after much scavanging she found an only slightly dirty shirt and a pair of jeans and made her way to the shower, stopping to check her mobile first. She hadn't really looked at it in a few days... maybe five, maybe eight, she wasn't sure. Fifteen text messages from Troy, twelve for Taylor as well as seven missed calls and two voice mail messages. She threw the phone onto her bed spread, she'd look at it later. After all, she'd be seeing them tomorrow anyway and for now she had to take a shower, get dressed and go tuck in to some of her mothers delicious chocolate chip pancakes.


	2. Brownies and questions

_**A/N:** Did you like the first chapter? Well I hope this one is as good. well basically this story will be about... three more chapters I think. I'll tell you definte figures next chapter. Anyway, enjoy! _

Gabriella smiled as the smell of her mothers chocolate chip pancakes wofted out the kitchen doors into the hall as she made her way to breakfast. She burst through the kitchen doors however to be greeted by a sight she wasn't expected, a thin, blonde boy scoffing down a fresh batch of pancakes at her kitchen bench with a grin on his face. She froze in the door way waiting for an explanation. Ryan turned to face her, mouth still full off pancakes as he quickly tried to swallow to speak to her.

"Morning Gabby, or should I say afternnon?" he laughed as he finished the mouthful , Gabriella just raised her eye brows at him "What? I don't even get a hug??" he asked with a cheeky smile. Shaking her head the brunette walked over to him in with a sigh, wrapping him in a tight hug.

"Ryan what are you doing here?" she asked as she slid onto the seat next to him, eyeing off the plate of steaming pancakes her mother was stacking up for her over by the stove "not that I'm not glad to see you but..." she trailed off. As mouth watering as the pnacakes looked nothing could distract her from the thought that had been on her mind for two weeks straight now. Ryan laughed as he finished another huge moutful before answering her question.

"Well I haven't herd from you in a while so I thought I'd come and say hey! You wanna go for a walk?" the last question was slipped in tactfully, this was obviously a conversation not for her mouthers ears. Gabriella nodded before looking back to the chocolate chip pancakes.

"Sure... after I've had a stack or two of pancakes!" she added with a broad grin.

* * *

Silence hung over the two as they set out away from the house, wandering down the road and towards the park that marked halfway between their houses. As they reached the small playground Gabriella took a seat on a swing and waited for Ryan to speak. He said nothing either and they both sat in prolonged silence. 

"How is she?" Gabriella finally whispered sending a crack down the pane of silence between them. The blonde boy grinned at her and took a seat on the park bench across from her.

"Good, okay. What about you? We haven't herd from you in forever, no-one really has" he asnwered her with a heavy sigh "What's up Gabby? And don't even try and say nothing because I wont believe that for a second!" he exclaimed with a grin. The brunette looked back up at him. What was she supposed to say? 'I'm okay I guess, just madly in-love with your sister!'. These thoughts however somehow made their way out her lips before she could stop them.

"Ahhh..." was all Ryan muttered, he looked slightly shocked but a smile was creeping upon his lips as he looked back up at her "so after the night of the party you freaked... what happened?" he asked, intrigues to know.

"Well that's the thing, I have no idea!!" she cringed and looked away from his eyes down at the tambark beneath her feet "I don't know if I told her anything, if I did anything... I have no recolection of that night past dancing with her". Her biggest fear was that she had said something and Sharpay had rejected her but she just didn't know or remember it. What if she had already lost the best thing in her life, her only hope was long gone, and she just didn't remember. Surely though she'd have realised the next morning when she woke up to find her shattered heart lying in pieces upon Sharpay's floor, right?

"Woa! Calm down, I'm sure nothing to bad can have happened. Although Sharpay has been moping around a little bit latley, maybe she just misses you?" he suggested helpfully. Gabriella laughed but shook her head as she dragged her feet throught the tambark, leaving trails behind hind, five centimetre ditches below the swing.

"I don't want to go back to school tomorrow" Gabriella mumbled, putting her hand up to shade her face from the fierce sun "If i see her... I don't know what will happen..." she rambled before looking back up at Ryan. He shrugged at her, what was he to say to that? He knew how his sister felt but it was not his secret to reveal.

"Go tomorrow, It'll turn out better than you think. I hope..." he whispered the last two words to himself before giving her a reasuring smile and standing up "Come on! I better get you home before your mother starts worrying. Maybe I can even get a few brownies off her before I go" he grinned and offered her his hand up. She took it happily, lazily letting him pull her up and drag her off, back towards her house. Down the winding streets dodging cars, past house and much to green fake grass lawns.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" was the last thing he said to her, not a question or a comment but a direct order, as bossy as he'd been in his entire life. Being the one telling what to do and not being told. It was something new to him and he still wasn't quite used to it yet, Sharpay treating him like a brother not an assistant and not being bossed around so much.Gabriella just nodded blankly as she watched him go. Sixteen hours, forty eight minutes and coutning till she arrived at school tomorrow and had to face it all. Her friends who she hadn't talked too in two weeks, a new lot of teachers, a new year of homework and assighnments and off course, last but definetley not least, Sharpay Evans.

* * *

The moment Ryan walked through the door he was attacked by a slim girl with curls of gorgeous blonde hair jumping him before he'd even closed the door.

"Well?? How is she? She's alright right? Did she say anything about me? Why did you take so long, I've been pacing the halway for hours since you left!!" Sharpay could hardly get all the words out, rushing and stumbling with her questions as she tried to voice everything running through her brain at once. Ryan laughed, still not answering her questions as he walked past and took a seat on the couch.

"Well I'm just so parched, I don't think I can speak before I've had a nice cool ice tea" he sighed as he got comfortable, taking advantage of the fact that his sister needed imformation from him. Sharpay sighed and answered with a pout.

"Lots of ice and, a slice of lemon?" she asked as she hurried towards the kitchen to fetch in. Soon she was back with a large ice tea, handing it too him and sitting down as he took his time with a long refreshing mouthful.

"So??? Tell me everything!" she pleaded her brother. He grinned at her, placing his glass down on a coaster on the coffee table beside him and sitting up, clearing his throat before he spoke.

"Well..."

* * *

_"Shhhh Gabriella, just sleep" Sharpay whispered in her ear, stroking her soft brown hair as the girl next to her groaned and mumbled, opening her heavy eye lids to look up at the blonde with chocolate eyes "does your head hurt that bad? Do you need panadol?" Sharpay asked worriedly to the small girl in her arms who seemed to be in pain _

_"No..." Gabriella whispered back "Just... tell me you love me and everything else will melt away". Sharpay smiled down at her, leaning in to kiss her cheek lightly before whispering in her ear._

_"I love you Ell, always and forever!". With that, just as she'd said, for Gabriella everything else in the world just melted away till all there was left was the blonde holding her. Nothing else mattered but her. Their hearts beat intime with each other as they lay and the brunette slowly drifted back to sleep with a smile on her face knowing Sharpay loved her back._

Gabriella smiled to herself as she dreamt, cuddling her teddy tight in her arms as she lay entwined in the bed sheets. Dreams where her escape to where Sharpay was hers always. This dream however was more realistic than any she'd had before. Nine hours, fourteen minutes till she'd see the blonde again, if only her dreams where her reality...


	3. Lights, Camera, Action!

_**A/N: **Ok so I think there's one maybe two more chapters of this till the end! I know, a short story. There MIGHT be thre TOPS!! But don't keep your hopes up... lol Also, do you think I've suddenly changed my style of writing?? I've certainly lost a little more sence, gone slightly crazy... but has it changed?? Well if it has please tell me, I wanna know. Also GAPBAY ROCKS!! lol and enjoy :) I write this cos I want you guys to like it... And cos I love Gabpay. So i hope it's everything you wanted._

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one… lights, camera, **action**. The time has come, the moment to face up to the truth. The doors under her finger tips felt cold and worn after being pushed upon, barged through and battered by a million different teenagers, teachers and parents to walk through. Just one swift movement, force behind her hands as she walked forward and the doors moved with her, opening to reveal the student filled corridor inside. Steps, just simple steps down the hall. The lockers on either side blurred into fuzzy grey and her head span as she got closer. Sharpay's locker, next to hers this year. There was really no avoiding it. A deep breath and cue the music, it was time. As she walked towards her locker, not being able to see a thing past the crowd of people in the way it all went in slow motion. The smallest noises where magnified while others where muffled. She could hear every footstep she took on the corridor floor. She could hear the bang of metal as Sharpay opened her locker with such force it hit the metal of the next door as it swung round. Books drop down upon one and other. The crowd parted, time moved at the rate it was supposed to and then for the first time since that night, Gabriella came face to face with Sharpay. Sharpay smiled, making a bee line for her. Gabriella froze as she watched her approach. She couldn't have done anything to bad that night, couldn't have said anything stupid or made a move on the blonde or otherwise why would she be coming to talk to her. The brunette smiled back shyly.

"Hey Elle! I haven't seen you in ages" Sharpay greeted her with a hug "How have you been? Done much?" she asked as she pulled back. The her eyes locked on the brunette's before her. _Elle_ the nick name echoed in her head…

_Soft hands held back her hair, rubbed soothing circles across her back. It calmed her, her sobs subsided and the blonde behind her spoke soft calming words._

_"__Shhh Ell, it's going to be alright, I promise you!" Sharpay whispered to her. She licked that name, Ell. She especially liked the way it's seemed to roll of the princess's tongue, it sounded so sweet as she spoke it. As Sharpay pulled her into her arms and held her Gabriella couldn't help but giggle, even through the streaming tears._

_"You called me Ell"_

Gabriella snapped back out of the memory that had come rushing back surprised and blushing deep red. Sharpay was watching her worriedly, waiting for her to say something, confirm she was ok.

"I said are you ok Elle?" she asked again, her facing rising to gentle touch the girls cheek "Are you feeling ok?".

"Oh, sorry. Yea I just… I don't know what just happened actually" she sighed, rubbing her head "I think I remembered something" she said, half to herself as she cringed. For some reason this memory also brought back the memory of pain, a splitting headache to be precise.

"Remember? What do you mean? What do you remember?" Sharpay asked her, slightly confused by Gabriella's odd behavior, then if dawn on her "what do you remember about that night?" she asked softly.

"Well obviously not much" Gabriella blushed "but I just remembered you… calling me Elle and I was throwing up and you where holding my hair up out of the way" she recalled slowly before looking back at Sharpay, her blush deepening under the blonde's intense gaze "what?". Sharpay just grinned, quickly dropping her hand away from the brunette's face and instead taking her hand.

"Nothing… now come on, your gunna be late for class on your first day back at school!" she pulled her off down the hall with a laugh. Now wasn't the right time to tell her, she was obviously worrying about that night enough as it was.

* * *

"Good morning, good morning! I hope you all had a pleasant summer. And now, my dears, as I hope you have all remembered, today is the swimming carnival!" Ms Darbus exclaimed "For those who are not so fond of racing you can always show a little school spirit. Cheer your friends on, paint banners and don't forget to wear your house colors" she grinned. This was followed by a low, loud groan from all the students.

"Did you used to like your school carnivals Ms Darbus?" one boy asked, earning himself raised eyebrows and glares from the other students "what?".

"So, looking forward to the swimming carnival?" Gabriella whispered to Sharpay with a smile. This was returned by a frown and worried eyes.

"Oh crap!" the blonde beside her cursed "I completely forgot that was today. Umm… I guess I'll have to go home and grab my swimmers…" she trailed off in thought. Gabriella watched her with a smile, _'She's so cute when she's smiling…'_ she sighed as she watched the blonde's forehead crinkle in worry and deep thought. She almost laughed but held it back as a stifled giggle.

"Can I come with you? I'd rather change at your house than at the pool! If you don't mind…?" Gabriella asked nervously, hoping the answer would be yes. Sharpay nodded happily. _'I wouldn't mind you changing in my room at all.. Oh god, Sharpay!'_ she shook the thought from her head.

"Yea, no problem. After this we'll stop by my locker so I can drop of some books and then I'll drive us to my place and then the pool" the blonde proposed. Gabriella agreed and they sat in slightly awkward silence for the rest of the morning session, till finally the bell went.

* * *

"Hurry up slow poke! We've got a whole day to be lazy in the sun later, right now we have to hurry, hurry, hurry!!" Sharpay called back to Gabriella as she pranced happily down the hall. The brunette gave her a quizzical look before hurrying after her.

"Woa, wait up!" she yelped as the blonde danced round the corner and disappeared out of view. Gabriella had to run to catch up to her, finding her standing by her lockers with a smile from on ear to the other.

"What's up with you?" she asked Sharpay as she dumped her books into her bright pink locker and closed it hastily, trying to hide the contents inside.

"I just feel… enchanted!" she whispered back to the brunette dramatically. Gabriella blushed before she realized Sharpay was referring to the movie recently out and which the blonde loved to watch over and over, and she laughed.

"Your weird… so what's in the locker?" she asked sincerely. Sharpay froze, quickly standing in front of it protectively. Maybe if she couldn't see the locker anymore she'd forget… but no such luck. The bright pink locker was much too distinctive, to vibrant and eye catching.

"Come on, let me see!" Gabriella laughed but she was now becoming suspicious "What are you hiding from me?" she asked, moving in till she had Sharpay pinned against her locker. The blonde blushed as she tried to flatten herself more against the metal door behind her. Being this close to the brunette was driving her nuts, sending chills down her spine, giving her butterflies. Making her much more nervous than it should.

"N…n..nothing" Sharpay stuttered, struggling to breathe in close vicinity to Gabriella "Really Elle, let's go already. We're going to be late!" she exclaimed. Gabriella grinned, loving the effect she seemed to be having on the blonde before her.

"Mkay, come on then" she gave in lightly, stepping away and starting off down the hall toward the car park. Sharpay sighed, as hard as it was to breathe when she was that close, sometimes Sharpay thought it was harder when she was further away.

* * *

"Ok so… why don't you grab us both a soda from the fridge?" Sharpay asked as soon as they'd walked through the door. Gabriella raised her eye brows at the blonde quizzically but did as she wished, heading towards the kitchen. The moment she was out of sight, the blonde dashed up the stairs, down the hall and into her bed room. To be truthful, she didn't even like soda. And she was pretty sure Gabriella knew that too. Sharpay grimaced at the mess across the floor, falling quickly to her knee's at it's mercy, she grabbed handfuls of crumpled pink clothing and paper of the floor, shoving them under her bed in a rush. She'd only just neatened the bed spread when Gabriella walked in, soda's in hand.

"Here you go" she smiled at Sharpay, handing her a soda and waiting for her to take a sip. Grudgingly the blonde played along, opening up the can with a soft fizz and lifting it to her mouth uncertainly. Taking only a small mouthful and hiding her disgust at the aftertaste left in her mouth she placed the soda down on the desk beside her and gave Gabriella a smile.

"Ok, let's get ready so we can head down to the pool" Sharpay mumbled before heading over to her dresser to find her bathing costume "I was sure it was in this drawer somewhere…" she muttered to herself as she rummaged through the scrambled mess of clothes and gave up to look in the next drawer down. Finally she found it, a cute pink and blue bikini.

"Aha! here it is" she turned back round to face Gabriella holding it up with a grin. What she found made her freeze up. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't breathe… _'In and out, in and out, it's simple!'_ she tried to remind herself.


	4. To the pool, AND BEYOND! Or not

_**A/N: **OH MY GOSH! lol One more chapter to go!! But don't worry, I still have another story I'm writing atm (In The Dark), I've started working on another Gabpay story and if you want one, there MIGHT me a sequel to this?? But only if you want one. ANYWAY, so yea. Finally (although it hasn't been that long) the next enstallment of Trouble Breathing is here:D_

Gabriella's shirt was lying in a crumpled pile on the floor beside her. As she bent over her bag to pull out her swimmers Sharpay couldn't help but stare, but soon quickly averted her eyes as the brunette stood back up.

_"don't worry I'll turn around while you change!" she quickly added, turning around to face the wall as Gabriella started undressing. After not even a minute the girl behind her burst into tears. Sharpay quickly turned around to see what was wrong to find Gabriella trying to put her shirt on, very unsuccessfully. Stifling laughter the blonde smiled and took the singlet out of her hands._

_"Put your arms up in the air" she instructed, remembering how her mother would help dress her when she was very little. She slipped the singlet through Gabriella's thin arms and over her head, trying not to look as she did so. Now the brunette was dressed and ready for bed Sharpay lifted up the covers and Gabriella crawled under happily into the warmth of Sharpay's fluffy pink doona cover with a lazy smile._

"Umm… do you think I could…?" she mumbled shyly as she held her bathing suite up in front of her bra. The flash back shook her slightly. Trying not to seem nervous Sharpay nodded, unable to get the words out, and pointed to a sliding door on the other side of the room. Gabriella smiled and made her way over, sliding it open to reveal a huge closet filled with row upon row of gorgeous clothes. She was in heaven…

_10 years later… joking!! More like 10 minutes…_

"Do we really have to go to this carnival?" Sharpay whined, as much as she wanted to see Gabriella in a bikini she wasn't in the mood for swimming. If she went to the carnival she knew that she'd some how end up in a race though and she really wasn't up to it today.

"Well where do you want to go?" Gabriella asked with a laugh as she leaned back in the leather seat and stuck her hand out the window to feel the wind rushing past and over her skin. It was better to concentrate on that than the girl next to her who was looking adorable and SO legally blonde. Her light blonde curls where flying out behind her in the breeze, she was wearing a loose pink sundress, black and hot pink sunnys decorated in diamantes as she drove fast down the road in her bright pink car with the roof off.

"The beach!" Sharpay exclaimed happily, thinking this was a great idea. Gabriella shook her head and giggled at the blonde beside her.

"Pay! We can't go to the beach… not today anyway" she giggled, patting Sharpay on the arm. The moment her hand touched her fair skin she felt a spark that even sent the butterflies in her stomach onto turbo. She couldn't take her hand away, something came over her and she slid her hand down onto Sharpay's and squeezed it tightly. The blonde looked across at her blushing before quickly turning her head back to face the road now feeling nervous and slightly nauseas.

"Look! Where almost there" Gabriella pointed to the pool, just round the corner and a bit down the street with a grin. As they stopped at the lights she stared up at them, zoning out as she watched the orange light blur with the rest of the world as she got lost in her mind.

_Whips of golden blonde hair fell around my face, tickling me as the__y brushed lightly over my skin and sending a shiver down my spine. I wish a could wake up to this every morning, to beautiful chocolate brown eyes and golden curls, and the soft voice of an angel whispering my name._

_"Gabriella… Gabby… Elle…" the voice was close, the angels warm breath blowing down on my skin as her sweet cherry red lips came closer and left a gentle kiss upon my forehead "I'll be right back, I'm just going to the bathroom". I reached up to touch the angels soft face and smiled up at them giddy with happiness? No… love._

"Gabriella?" Sharpay asked, waving her hand in front of the brunette's face. The moment she snapped back to reality the first thing she noticed was the blondes hand missing from hers. That contact was necessity. It was vital, right this moment it was her life line because for sure if Sharpay wasn't touching her she'd cease to exist.

"Yea, sorry" she muttered and quickly grabbed her stuff and got out of the car, walking around to the other side where Sharpay was waiting. She wanted to just reach out and grab her hand but she hadn't the confidence to do it.

As they entered the pool Gabriella stuck to Sharpay nervously, staying as close as possible without touching as they walked. She tried to regulate her breath, stop her heart from racing. It wasn't just the nervousness of the carnival that was giving her butterflies though, it was the blonde walking next to her. The girl who seemed to always be wearing a confident grin and never get shy. Or not that often anyway, she had been a little quiet sometimes recently. Totally out of character for her but then maybe that was the effect of being Gabriella's new best friend. Or that's she thought anyway.

"What house are you in?" Gabriella whispered as they approached the main crowd of other students setting up their things on the grass beside the pool. She didn't care what house she was in, she wanted to sit with Sharpay. Every moment spent with her she seemed to remember more of that night. And every bit she remembered seemed to make her want to know more, to make her want Sharpay more and to want to be more with Sharpay.

"Quinton, red house" Sharpay grinned and straightened out her flowing dark pink dress, tied up with a gorgeous red ribbon. Gabriella watched her and smiled, she really did look good in that dress it was nothing like her usual glamorous show biz wardrobe. She didn't look hot, she looked stunning, drop dead gorgeous, absolutely beautiful.

"How about you?" she asked, intrigued to know where the brunette would be sitting and hoping to god it would be with her. Gabriella flashed her a confident smile, linking arms with her as they walked.

"Quinton".

_XxXxXxXxX_

The cool breeze blew over Gabriella's bare skin, sending a shiver down her body as she stood shyly at the edge of the pool in her bathers. Sharpay approached her from behind with a grin, her eyes going from the shivering brunette to the gorgeous blue water for the pool in front of her and back. She tread quietly as she got closer, trying to make sure each foot step landed gently on the cement and dodged any crackling dry leaves or easily snapped twigs in her path. Centimeters to go, barley a breath away. The blonde took a deep breath and raised her hands up towards the brunette's bare shoulders as her smile spread from one ear to the other. Gabriella chose this moment to turn around, wondering where on earth Sharpay was. To her surprise she found the girl right behind her, turning to find herself barely a breath from the blonde's face as a deep crimson blush spread across her cheeks. A squeal escaped her lips as she tried to step back and away from Sharpay so she was able to breathe, only to find nothing behind her.

"Elle!" the blonde yelled out, reaching out her hand to grab the brunette's. It was however too late and all she did was allow herself to be dragged in too as she ended up on top of Gabriella as they crashed into the water. All she could do was take a deep breath before she hit the surface, close her eyes and hope for the best. It was freezing, one moment she was dry, in the warm summer air. And then in barely a second she was soaking wet, in the cold pool water. Bubbles escaped Gabriella's mouth as she took this moment to tell Sharpay what she'd been dying to tell her for months. All these feelings she'd been burying deep down in the depths of her heart. Her eyes half closed as she squinted into the gorgeous aqua blue waters to see the world slightly blurred, Sharpay couldn't even make out what she was mouthing. Finally, she'd gotten the words out. Only to have Sharpay not even hear them as the words floated up to the surface in small white bubbles escaping her mouth and fighting to get out of the water. Finally the brunette's back hit the bottom of the pool as she realized she was fast running out of air. She'd hardly noticed, it felt like this most of the time when she was with Sharpay, when the stunning blonde was touching her. But now it was worse, now she was close to attempting to catch bubbles in her mouth. All she saw above her where gorgeous chocolate brown eyes obscuring her view of the surface and standing in the way of her only exit. Luckily though the blonde needed air too, taking Gabriella's hand in her and pushing off the bottom to propel them up to the surface. The blonde surfaced first, gaping for air as soon as she was free of the watery prison below. She pulled brunette up beside her, holding her head up above the water as she wrapped her arms around her thin waist. Gabriella looked up at her and grinned, leaning up to plant a soft kiss on Sharpay's cheek before pulling away and out of her arms.

'That was fun" she giggled, her hand still grasped firmly in the stunned blondes. Sharpay soon smiled though, pulling the brunette back into a tight hug.

"Oh my god, you scared me!" she whimpered into Gabriella's luscious brown locks as she held her. Gabriella laughed and hugged her back kindly before squirming back out of her grasp again. As much as she loved Sharpay's gentle touch at the same time when she was being held in the unknowing, naïve blondes arms she couldn't breathe. Like being back under the water, struggling for air.

"Oi! If you two want to do something other than float in the water and cuddle, do you wanna play Marco polo with us?" Chad called out to them from the edge of the pool, grinning at the two blushing girls who quickly released each others hands and nodded.

"Yea, we'd love too!" Gabriella replied happily, swimming over towards him.

_**Another A/N: **Btw, if your really into Gabpay and searching desperatley for stories. I made a community, the link is:  
_ . _So if u wanna check it out... well yea, there it is! -_


	5. Marco Polo Finale

_**A/N: **HEY!! OMG the LAST chapter!!! XD lol Well I hope you like it. It's longer than the others. I'm pretty sure. Though not HEAPS longer!! But yea, review. Tell me what your thought. If maybe I could have explained more at the end?? I dunno. Hope you guys liked it though. I loved writing it. Gabpay are THE best!! . Ok sorry... so yea, here it is :P Sorry it took a while. Love always, x.d.n.r.x_

Floating through the pool surround by so much loud buzzing noise that it feels like silence, you can't hear a thing over the splashing of water and the dull roar of a thousand voices blended into one. The people that pass Gabriella as she floats silently in the shallows, they shout to be heard over the noise. She just closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and plunges her head under the water. When she opens her eyes under here it hurts slightly but it looks so pretty. The light filtering in between the bodies standing over head. Creating pretty patterns that dance across the pool floor. And the way the edges of everything are slightly blurred, like everything's almost bleeding into each other. Like when you drop water onto a picture. Or your painting and when you go to put one colour on it's a little too diluted and it runs into the others, swirling and mixing till you can't tell which is which. She feels like she's apart of everything. Like nothing exists on it's own, everything's apart of each other. Like ying and yang, they can only exist together. Like how Sharpay is apart of her, she couldn't exist without her. And then she see's the blonde, swimming towards her with a smug smile on her face as she approached the seemingly unnoticing brunette. Waiting to watch the last few bubbles escape her mouth and fight there way to the surface Gabriella slowly let her muscles relax so she floated back up, breaking the surface of the water with a splash. 

"Shhh come on!" Sharpay hissed, grabbing her hand and dragging her into a huge crowd of kids shouting loudly to each other near the edge of the pool "Chad's coming" she giggled, looking back at the brunette as soon as they where safely hidden. Gabriella nodded, slightly zoned out as she stared into space like she was hardly there.

"Woa, you ok?? We don't have to play if you don't want to!" the blonde yelled as a couple of girls next to her squealed and laughed, flirting with another guy in their year. Gabriella looked back up at her, tilting her head slightly to the side as she stared up at her before coming back to planet earth and blushing furiously. Sharpay smiled at the adorable brunette. _'Awww how cute'_ she sighed as she watched her.

"What? No, yea I'm fine" she mumbled, before giving Sharpay a warm smile and diving down beneath the water and swimming out away from the crowd, winding between peoples feet and legs as she went. The blonde princess watched her go sadly. She always wanted a happily ever after. A "Repunzel, Repunzel, let down your hair!" romantic tale of love and tragedy that ended well. Not that Repunzel ended well. The princes was blinded and the princess lost all her gorgeous hair. But at least they where still together in the end! Her romantic tale wasn't going so well or so romantic. But then again what fairy tale started with a drunken princess being looked after by another princess. Come to think of it, how many fairy tales are about two princess falling love? Sharpay sighed, her thought where too much for her sometimes.

"Gotcha!" Chad grinned, opening his eyes to see he'd found a very dazed looking Sharpay. The blonde looked around to see the crowd she'd been hiding in had moved, leaving her out in the open to be found. The blonde laughed at her bad luck, closing her eyes and beginning to count to twenty as Chad hurried off to hide. 

"thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen..." she slowly rattled off the numbers as she waited, the water lapping at her sides and swaying her with every ripple through the water as someone else jumped in "seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty!" she finally called out, taking her hands away from her face and keeping them squeezed tightly shut.

"Marco!!" she called out loudly, reaching out blindly in front of her as she stumbled through the shallow water, the tips of her blonde hair dragging across the top of the water as she went.

"Polo!" the reply chorused out from four different directions confusingly. With hands stretched out in front of her she took cautious steps forward towards where she'd heard a voice before stopping to listen. She herd the nervous splashes of someone trying to swim away. A smile spread across the blonde's face and she dived forward, pinning someone against the pool wall between her arms unknowingly. She sighed, feel the wall against her fingers tips and leaning forward so she was only centimeters from the other persons face. She could hear their breathing, feel it against her cheek. She grinned, closing in her arms to touch them lightly on the shoulder before opening her eyes.

"Your in..." she trailed off as her soft chocolate brown eyes opened to look at a gorgeous brunette standing breathlessly, pressed up against the edge of the pool between her arms. She couldn't move, frozen so close to Gabriella she could barely breathe. And the thought entered her mind before she could stop it. As her heart thudded in her chest and she watched the brunette shyly smile, her cheeks a bright red. The gentle breeze blew over their skin, sending goosebumps crawling across Sharpay's arms as the two of them stood suspended in motion. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach, like a metal detector they went nuts the closer she got to Gabriella. Right now they where on speed. And the thought that she wanted to stop, but couldn't in time, echoed round inside her head making her heart beat faster at the idea_. 'So this is love..._'

"Elle..." was all that managed to escape the blonde's lips before Gabriella lent up and pressed her own lips against them, mixing kiwi & strawberry and watermelon lip gloss. Sharpay stood stunned for a second as the brunette reached up her hand to cup the blondes face and draw her gently in closer. As it slowly dawned on her that this was not another dream, as unreal and heavenly as it felt and seemed, she smiled in the kiss, placing her hand on Gabriella waist to bring her in closer and close the last centimeters of space between their bodies. And a million song lyrics echoed through her brain_. 'and you can't close enough unless I'm feeling your _heartbeat' was one that sprung to mind at the time. She reached up one hand, placing it on the brunette's chest to feel the heavy beats of her increased heart rate and of blood pulsing through her veins as the blonde slid her hand up her neck softly stroking her cheek before tucking a stray wisp of hair behind Gabriella's ear and dropping back down to her side, to intertwine her fingers with the brunettes. After what felt like an eternity they pulled apart, cheeks flushed and hands linked firmly as Sharpay lent into Gabriella and listened to the steady beat of her heart. She loved falling asleep to that gentle beat, and hopefully she would again. As the brunette stared into Sharpay's arms she smiled, humming and soft tune that had been stuck in her head all day. And as she hummed, inside her mind she went over the words again and again. She'd herd it on the radio this morning on the way to school. It made her smile, one person came to mind the moment she herd the lyrics that sung her heart. She'd been going over it and over it all day, at the time she'd thought it was sign. Today could be the day, and it turned out it had been! She grinned at Sharpay, leaning in to catch her lips in one more soft lingering kiss before pulling away.

_"I can't take my eyes off you, nothing ever needs to be said, send your message right into my head, you fill me up when I'm alone, so soothing is your monotone, I can't take my eyes off you, I can't take my eyes off you..."_. Finally Sharpay giggled and pulled herself out of the trance of Gabriella's hypnotizing deep hazel that always seemed to pull her back in. Like magnets and her eyes where made of cool, steely metal. Like a moth was drawn to flame, Sharpay's eyes where drawn to Gabriella's and visa versa. The blonde looked away shyly, to find the where the only two left in the pool. Her cheeks burned bright red, almost as hot as her skin was under the brunette before her soft touch. Luckily not many people had noticed. Unluckily, Ryan, Troy, Taylor and Chad stood watching them wide eyed. If any of them had known one had feelings for the other they'd never thought they'd had a chance. Gabriella swallowed loudly, sinking back down beneath the water and hoping the cool blue pool water of the pool would put out the bright burning fire in her cheeks. Sharpay pulled her back up, leaning in towards her with a warm knowing smile.

"Are you ready?" she asked her kindly, receiving a confused look from the brunette "are you ready to face them? Because if your not I will understand Elle..." the blonde whispered in her ear, reveling in the effect she could have on the brunette. The way she could make her shiver. Gabriella looked back up, straight into her eyes, and gave her a small nod.

"I'm ready! Anything for you" she smiled. And here it came, another memory suddenly flooding back.

_Gabriella swung her leg over so she sat atop Sharpay, straddling her as she opened her mouth, allowing the blondes tongue entrance as they kissed still more passionately. Finally running out of breath the brunette pulled away, grinning down at the girl beneath her, all innocence in her eyes gone. Gabriella leant in still, planting small short kisses all around the blondes mouth, on her cheeks and down her neck breathlessly as she panted. She couldn't pull herself away from Sharpay's soft skin. She'd wanted her for so long and now finally the moment had come, completely intoxicated she had the guts to make a move and Sharpay had actually kissed her back. She smiled into the one last gentle kiss she planted on the blonde's lips before pulling back to stare into her thoughtful brown eyes._

_"What?" Gabriella whispered, tilting her head slightly to one side as she looked down at Sharpay. The blonde smiled back up at her, reaching up a hand to gently caress her cheek, leaning up to leave her one last soft kiss on the cheek. A kiss that burnt a scar into Gabriella's face, so that she reached her hand up to touch the spot tenderly._

_"I love you" Sharpay whispered back, before looking away "but nothing else can happen tonight. I can't do anything with you when your like this. When you don't really mean it... but when your sober, maybe we can... if your ready.." the now so innocent, shy looking princess mumbled nervously. Gabriella sighed pulling away, untangling her fingers from Sharpay's soft golden blonde hair to lift up her chin and force her to look her in the eyes once more._

_"I'm not sure if I'm ready to... With every one knowing..." the brunette managed to stutter, her eyes watering slightly. What was she saying? She loved Sharpay!! But was she really ready to let the world know that? Her friends and family and especially all those people she didn't know who judge her without a second though, who'd look down upon her._

_"Okay, what ever you want" Sharpay agreed, seeing the still drunken Gabriella was getting bored with just talking as she seemed to be moving her hand up the blondes thigh slowly and seductively and she gave the blonde and shy but sexy smile and leaned back in toward her "we should get going now!" Sharpay quickly squeaked, pushing the brunette off of her. Gabriella pouted, crawling back off Sharpay's lap and into her seat mopingly._

Gabriella blushed, slightly ashamed at the memory, taking Sharpay's hand and squeezing it tightly. With a long, deep breath she gathered her self up. Got ready and stood back up, the water running down her body back towards the ground with the force of gravity. If she was the sun Sharpay was the earth. Gabriella was drawn to her, pulled in by gravity to rotate around her. And Sharpay would die without Gabriella. She was the sunshine of her day! As completely corny as it sounds... The walked quickly up the steps and towards their towels, ignoring the blatant stares from their friends.

"Oh my god!! Are you going out with Sharpay?!?" Taylor asked stuck somewhere between shocked and confused. Gabriella looked to Sharpay for confirmation. The blonde grinned at her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze and an encouraging nod. The brunette turned back to her friend with a wide grin. She still felt the butterflies in her stomach and the fast beating of her heart from just being near the stunning princess. But now she could breathe, better than ever before.

"Yes" she smiled at Taylor proudly, confirming what was running through all of their heads "yes I am".


End file.
